1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to the field of medical and dental equipment. More specifically the present invention relates to a tongue depressor intended primarily for children, and having a flavor-coated tongue contact portion and a stylized handle portion which is detachable.
The construction of this tongue depressor makes oral examination enjoyable for children in at least two ways, so that they willingly cooperate with the examination. First the flavor-coating of the tongue contact portion makes placement of the depressor against the taste buds of the tongue pleasant so that children welcome its use, and the sweetness relaxes the pharyngeal muscles and thereby reduces the possibility of gagging. The tongue contact portion can also become a candy coated stick for consumption and continued enjoyment after the examination is completed. Second the stylized handle portion becomes an entertaining keepsake and toy, prolonging the enjoyed experience of the child so that he or she remembers it the next time an examination is needed. A method is provided including the step of breaking off the handle portion along a stress riser groove.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
There have long been various types of tongue depressors for bearing downwardly against the upper surface of a patient tongue to hold the tongue out of the way for viewing of the mouth and throat during oral examination. Modern tongue depressors are typically wooden or plastic slats, although other designs are known.
Kiro, U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,885, issued on Jun. 3, 1997, discloses a tongue depressor with a lollipop holder. Rather than placing a candy confection directly onto the tongue depressor, the stem of a lollipop is inserted into holder and fits into a longitudinal channel or slot in the depressor where it is removably secured in place. In another embodiment the holder is omitted and a slot or longitudinal bore is provided in the depressor for receiving a lollipop stem. A problem with Kiro is that molding or cutting a separate holder in addition to the depressor, or manufacturing a depressor with an axial bore for receiving a lollipop stem, makes the depressor relative costly to produce. Another problem is that the depressor is designed to become a toy for children, and the cost of the depressor may make giving it away impractical. Still another problem is that the medical examiner is forced to use whatever shape or size of lollipop candy portion is available to depress the tongue, since the lollipop candy portion appears to be the active portion of the depressor.
Edinger, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,764, issued on Oct. 31, 1967, teaches a self-illuminating tongue depressor with a detachable tongue blade. Edinger, et al., includes a hollow handle containing a rechargeable battery, a switch and a power circuit, and having a rod projecting forwardly therefrom with a light bulb mounted at the rod distal end. The light bulb is connected to the battery through the power circuit and is operated with the switch. An elongate and transparent plastic tongue contact portion having a longitudinal interior bore which removably receives the rod and bulb until the bulb is positioned within the remote end of the contact portion. The contact portion is then releasibly clipped to the handle portion. When examination is concluded, the contact portion is removed from the handle and discarded. A problem with Edinger, et al., is that it does not ease the concerns of children about placement of a foreign object into their mouths. Indeed, the mechanized appearance could make Edinger, et al. more intimidating than an ordinary tongue depressor. Another problem with Edinger, et al., is that it is complex and expensive to manufacture.
Leach, U.S. Pat. No. 2,425,945, issued on Aug. 19, 1947 reveals a confection-tongue depressor. Leach includes a wooden slat body member having a hole or a notch at its distal end into which a candy substance is secured, to make oral examination more pleasant for children. A problem with Leach is that no provision is made beyond the candy itself for making the depressor appealing to children.
Kravitz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,840, issued on Jun. 13, 1967, discloses a combination tongue depressor and swab. Kravitz includes a flat tongue blade and a cotton swab mounted at an end of an elongated swab rod. The swab rod is removably secured to a face of the tongue blade with two spaced apart brackets wrapping laterally around the tongue blade and rod, and can be slid longitudinally relative to the blade to cause the swab to protrude. The problems of Edinger, et al. are again presented.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a tongue depressor which makes oral examination a pleasant experience for children which they remember at the next examination so that they readily cooperate.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a tongue depressor which is formed or molded as a single piece, with candy or other sweet substance affixed to the depressor member, and which has no need for provision of an internal chamber, so that unit cost is minimized.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a tongue depressor which is an elongate blade with a decorative handle portion and a candy-coated tongue contact portion, and which has a lateral stress riser between the handle portion and the tongue contact portion so that the decorative handle portion can be easily and cleanly broken away and retained by the child as a toy, and the used tongue contact portion discarded.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such a tongue depressor with a handle portion configured or marked in any of numerous and varied decorative configurations to be appealing to children as a collectible item.